I Loved You First
by Bassoonator
Summary: Don't ever wait until it's too late to tell someone how much they mean to you, because when they're gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry… they won't hear you any more.
1. Chapter 1

**OOC**: Afternoon, lovely readers! This will _probably _be a three-shot, unless I can squeeze it in two. I _really _hope you guys like it. I took a different approach to the characters, and I've never really been good at non-angst things... so, here's hoping! During this chapter, I listened to _'Samson' _by Regina Spektor on repeat... just putting it out there.. Enjoy, and please review!

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, I am not the author of Les Miserables or any of its content, _however _I play bassoon, so I think I'm next in line in the whole copy right thing. (;

"Don't ever wait until it's too late to tell someone how much they mean to you, because when they're gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry… they won't hear you any more."

* * *

Marius was in love with a young gamin. Of course, seeing that she was in a different class, this was deeply frowned upon in their society. So Marius was forced to pretend his feelings didn't exist even though they passionately and radiantly shone through in nothing more than a brotherly affection. Marius knew he had to hold himself together - punishments were brutal in these ages and although he had not a care for himself, this girl would not be spared, coming from the lowest of the low. Her rags were no more than an illusion to young Marius - love struck and naive, to him, those rags were the diamonds he would one day give her, and the wedding gown he'd spend every sou he owned on.

Marius knew these thoughts would do him no good - but looking into her dark, dark eyes... There, in the endless pits of beauty, lay everything he hoped for in life. But she was not to be his, and he had to cover up his feelings, although they grew with each passing day. Pining over the forbidden love of his, he went on in life, knowing he still had to go on. He couldn't disobey the law. It was when Enjolras brought up the rebellion and barricades that Marius begun to get curious. Perhaps, if they won, he could persuade them to disband the law of being with someone out of your class. His student friends and him stood together and so, the plan for the rebellion was decided. They simply awaited the day General Lamarque passed on.

Of course, with this plan, came the possibility that Marius mightn't live to see the day he might finally be with his beloved, but for Marius, it was the only hope he had left. This girl... a street urchin, in the poorest of families, considered a nuisance... Her happiness was all he wanted, but so badly did he want more than that.

* * *

Eponine was never going to be good enough for him. She realised that only now, as she stared at him and his friends, talking so excitedly about the rebellion they decided to take part in. What if her Marius was to die? What would she do then? Eponine had never considered a world with out him, and when she did, it was not a world she would be pleased to take part of. As she stared at him, with his brilliant green eyes and dark hair, all she saw was happiness and a loveliness that radiated off of him. Oh, if only he knew!

Eponine snapped back to reality, finally listening to Marius and Enjolras speak. They spoke with such a passion as they spoke of a battle that would surely end in many deaths on both sides. How could people go from lovely to monsters in a matter of moments? Her father's face popped in her head, and a sadness came over her. As she looked up once more, she found she was staring into a bright pair of eyes, but not Marius'. Enjolras' deep blue eyes bore into her, the silent fire burning through. A casual glance's length had passed many moments ago. As they held each other's gaze, Enjolras continued ranting about how they were fighting for everything they loved and cherished. Something fluttered inside Eponine, and when he finally broke her gaze, Eponine felt something strange. With out considering it too much, Eponine felt another pair of eyes on her, and looked up to Marius staring at her, a seldom seen expression on his face.

Was that...? Certainly not...

* * *

Marius' thoughts were everywhere. Everywhere, perhaps, but in the spot in front of him. What had that look been between Enjolras and Eponine? If you hadn't assumed by now, the woman that had stolen his heart was young Eponine, who no seemed to be staring at one of his best friends. What _was _that? He felt himself practically walk into another person and a spree of words erupted from his mouth.

"Please forgive me! My mind is full and I was foolish to look everywhere but right in fr- fron... front of me..." Marius stuttered over his last words, finally looking up and staring into the eyes of a stranger. A stranger with heavenly blue eyes and the most golden of hair that had been well looked after and hung healthily down her back.

"You are forgiven, Mosiuer," the woman replied, nodding her head. Her millions of curls fell to the front of her face, and as she held his gaze a moment more, a silent smile playing on her lips, she returned to an elder man and walked off. Of course, not with out looking back at him first. Eponine was suddenly beside him.

"Eponine, who was that girl?" Marius asked, staring at where she had been not a minute ago. Eponine stared up at Marius - dear old Marius who had never shown any interest in any girl ever - and felt a little part of her break.

"I don't know," Eponine responded quietly before turning and leaving as quickly as she'd come. Marius turned to look at Eponine, a tragedy playing out before his eyes.

Marius called after her however Eponine was long out of ear shot. Marius' eyes met Enjolras' first, who had been staring at him for some time, before going between where Eponine had been, and then to where the mysterious girl had been. For more than one reason, Marius glanced back over his shoulder and whispered,

"I loved you first..."

* * *

**OOC:** There we go, fitting my favourite lyric from 'Samson' into this chapter. c': So, its probably my least favourite thing I've written on this account, but I have some ideas for the next couple, and how its going to play out. So, please review so I can encourage myself to continue!


	2. Chapter 2

**OOC**: Afternoon, readers! It's 10.30 on a school night and this is bad, but I wanted to give you a chapter because you guys were so lovely. So please enjoy and review!

"Don't ever wait until it's too late to tell someone how much they mean to you, because when they're gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry… they won't hear you any more."

* * *

He stared at her from across the room, his mind full of mixed thoughts. Eponine, someone he'd always imagined a future with, but knew that it was forbidden. And now, this beautiful woman just walked into his life. How could you compare _her _to dearest Eponine? Eponine wasn't the prettiest girl, but she was young, and her personality was head strong and independant. Marius loved everything about her, from her dark waves that fell half way down her back to the bruises she tried to hide from him. He _loved _her. But this woman - clean, pristine, all grown up. Older and had developed more. She was _flawless _and completely out of his league. She already wore the diamonds and dresses worth double the amount he'd ever be able to earn in his life time.

Perhaps that's what made Eponine more appealing - he knew in his head that she would be happy with what he had to offer because she had so little herself. He tried to imagine being with the blonde headed girl from yesterday, with that small smile of hers, but slowly the image of her faded to a thinner, darker haired and large smiled Eponine. _Eponine, _Marius sighed as she lifted her eyes to meet his, before moving back to another man... Enjolras.

It didn't help the jealousy rising in him every time Enjolras' eyes passed upon her. He'd caught them staring more times than he could count on his fingers, and sometimes, Eponine shyly smiled and his heart beat a little faster. Surely Enjolras wasn't interested in the lovely Eponine... He'd heard some conversations around the table, a drunken Grantaire commenting bitterly,  
"Looks like Enjolras finally found something he likes. Funny how she was here the whole time." Too bitter to only have one meaning, but Marius didn't even think about it. He just stared more at his beloved.

One time, Enjolras had offered to buy Eponine some bread to share, and with an astonished look upon her face, she politely refused. That didn't stop him from actually purchasing it, however. Eponine's eyes had filled with wonder and a thankful smile passed upon her lips. Marius noticed in those rare times he caught Eponine staring at him that she looked at him differently. How though? He still couldn't read those dark pits of mystery in all the years he'd known her. The times he caught her staring lessened in the weeks. The amount of times Enjolras and Eponine were together multiplied. Marius wondered if perhaps, before he even had thought about replacing his feelings for Eponine with the mystery girl, if she had already replaced the friendship he had with her?

Since the several days before then, Marius had not seen the lovely girl he'd seen. Her ocean-coloured eyes still appeared in his mind, filled with such innocence and joy, contrasting with Eponine's dark, frustrated eyes. The girl he had met had obvious had had an obviously easier life than poor Eponine but such could be forgiven with such a lovely face. Movement caught his eyes, and Marius looked up to see Enjolras had sat beside Eponine at the far end table, a bright smile on his face - a rare sight to see on such a straight-minded man.

Laughs and chatter filled the cafe from behind him but he felt heat radiating off him. Enjolras' arm was casually over her her chair, almost touching her but not quite. His fingers moved some hair behind her ear and whispered into her ear. In response, Eponine giggled - fierce, independent, strong willed Eponine had _giggled _and it was such a beautiful sound that Marius felt his stomach turn. They continued like this, Enjolras' arm finally finding its way around her shoulder and them being closer than ever, like old lovers. Marius' jealousy was above the roof. More giggles erupted from Eponine, and standing up in a rush, throwing his chair under the table so hard that the whole cafe quietened, Marius left.

* * *

Marius found himself in the Field of Lark, a small field barely a ten minute walk from the cafe. He'd lain down on the grass and stared at the sky for many hours, until night had fallen and the stars shone brightly. Many hours into nightfall, he was accompanied by his lovely Eponine. She lay beside him, smelling of Enjolras' cologne. Marius sighed, feeling as if the tables had suddenly turned for him. She was no longer the one out of his league - he was out of _her _league. Perhaps, if they won the battle... things would change. Eponine would see him differently. As a hero. Perhaps they could finally be together...

"Are you alright, Monsieur?" Eponine's alto voice, rather husky, echoed through the field.

"Quite," Marius answered instantly. Anything but, was Marius fine. How could he possibly say that he was simply terrible? Stricken with jealousy that his beloved had suddenly taken a desire to one of his best friends? How could he say he couldn't stop feeling like he was betraying her by thinking of this other girl? How could he possibly explain all these horrid feelings that were filling Marius?

"Do you like him, 'Ponine?" Marius asked, phrasing his words slowly and meaningfully.

"Who?" Eponine responded, eyes widening a little in the low light of the moon.

"Oh, don't be naive. You know who," Marius responded a little too aggressively.

"I'm not sure, Monsieur," answered Eponine truthfully. "It is... complicated." Marius asked no more questions, feeling a heaviness on his shoulders that hadn't been there at the start of this conversations. It was complicated. Her voice may have said she was unsure, but for this one time, he swore he could tell she did have feelings for Enjolras. When had Marius ever been right about dark and quiet Eponine though?

* * *

Eponine returned to her home quickly after that conversation with Marius. Her mind was crowded and her eye lids drooping with drowsiness. How _did _she feel for Enjolras? This was the question she pondered as she walked through the door to find her father passed out in the middle of the apartment, holding an empty bottle of alcohol. Her mother was sitting at the small table they owned, head in her hands. Eponine had always admired her mother - she put up with so much and only had minor relapses of anger at her father, who most of the time, was drunken anyway.

Eponine sat beside her mother, who looked up. Greying and bushy haired Mme. Thenardier looked more exhausted than Eponine felt. She smiled a half-hearted smile. "'Ponine," she acknowledged her daughter. Eponine barely smiled.

"Mama, was Father the one for you? If you could go back, would you have chosen somebody else?" Eponine burst out, her thoughts echoing with the memory of Enjolras putting his arm around her and holding her when she grew cold.

"Despite all of his madness, alcohol and general stupidity," Mme. Thenardier laughed slyly, "I wouldn't have chosen anyone else. In the end, there's a time when you realise you would die for that person, and that's when you know there's nobody else." With that, Mme. Thenardier fell asleep on the table. Eponine was left to ponder this, kissing her mother on the cheek and returning to her small shoebox of a room. Lying down on the mattress and looking up at the peeling grey ceiling, Eponine thought and thought and thought.

Who would she die for? Enjolras, who had but less than a month ago decided his feelings for her? Or Marius? Who she'd loved for many years now? Someone she could never replace? Someone she'd die for... Eponine realised that indeed, she'd die for Marius. Over and over. She'd endure any death that was thrown at her if it meant he would be happy. That's all that mattered. Enjolras was a lovely man, and he would make someone very happy, like he had her, but Eponine knew it was not to be.

It had always been Marius, and it would always _be _Marius.

* * *

The next day was the day General Lamarque died. The barricade plan was in full board and as the day began, the barricades were built. Furniture, instruments, clothes and books were all thrown down. At long last, the barricade was huge and stable. Eponine watched from the shadows, helping when she could but mostly staring at the figure staring at Marius. Eponine moved closer and closer until eventually she was right beside the girl she recognised as the one Marius had asked about, and so obviously shown interest in. She was beautiful - around Eponine's age but not sad or dirty like she was. She was pure and clean, with a kind face and laugh lines. The girl stared at Marius some more, her eyes full of joy and wonder.

"His name is Marius Pontmercy," Eponine mumbled, barely loud enough for the girl to hear. "Would you like to meet him?" The girl stared wide-eyed at Eponine but nodded, a bright smile lighting up her face. Eponine stumbled over to Marius, the girl quickly on her heels. _Do this for him. Make him happy. Its about him. _These were the thoughts that echoed through her head as she reached the love of her life. He looked down from the chair was was standing on, adjusting some part of the barricade. He met Eponine's eyes, and instantly, she smiled up at him. His eyes passed onto the girl beside him and his mouth dropped open.

"Marius," Eponine exhaled. "Here's the girl you asked me about." Marius' eyes never went on Eponine again after that. They were glued to the lovely girl in front of her.

"I'm Cosette," the blonde introduced herself shyly, bowing her head in an elegance Eponine would never possess. They began talking, as smoothly as soul mates, and suddenly, Eponine felt like she was invading their privacy, and backed off, her heart reaching for Marius with nothing reaching back.

* * *

Cosette was nothing compared to Eponine - he realised that now. But Cosette was lovely - pure and funny, smart and kind hearted. She would never yell or get angry. She was perfect, and Marius realised that she was flawless. He couldn't find anything about her that he disliked, and that made it hard to be around her. He felt inferior, but she was so kind that it was tolerable. They joked around and laughed, as easily as if they had been life long friends. She was no Eponine though.

But Eponine had no feelings for him, and he realised, that even if he were to die tomorrow, he wanted one night to pretend that he and Cosette were madly in love and they would run off one day and have children, even though that was the wrong girl. The night was lovely and ended when night fell.

"I must go," Cosette told him, sadly.

"Not without this," Marius smiled and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was shy and plain. No special spark, but nice all the same.

"I'll see you after the battle," Cosette smiled a brilliant white-teethed smile of hers. "Be safe."

* * *

Eponine watched from the shadows, the entire afternoon. The laughs, the over all smoothness of the conversation. They fit like two puzzle pieces, and that pained Eponine to say. She had to keep reminding herself that his happiness was her happiness, even though she wanted so much more. When they kissed, Eponine's heart tore apart, but she kept her composure, a sad smile on her face.

"I loved you first," she whispered to the nothingness, as they departed each other, looking happier than ever.

* * *

OOC: I hope you enjoyed that Bit long, and I had to rewrite it because yay refresh buttons before saving! Urg, anyway. Sorry about the lack of detail on the barricade scene. I figured you already knew enough about it from the movie/musical/book, so I just skipped over it a bit. So, next chapter is the battle! Be prepared for an angsty chapter! If its gets too long, it might end up being split in two... Who knows! Enjoy, and please review, so I know you guys are actually reading this and I'm not writing for nothing. (:


	3. Chapter 3

**OOC**: Hey there, amazing readers! Shout out to those amazing reviews who made me grin from ear to ear! I've never thought of myself as a good writer but to see how much you guys are looking forward to this chapter makes me feel fabulous! Sorry for the wait. I have school and work and ensembles and I'm just so busy! I didn't want to leave you guys waiting though... So, enjoy and please review!

"Don't ever wait until it's too late to tell someone how much they mean to you, because when they're gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry… they won't hear you any more."

* * *

After the bittersweet kiss that had been between Marius and Cosette, Eponine knew she wouldn't be able to go home. At home, all she could do was think, and thinking was the last thing she wanted to do at that moment. She found herself walking through the Parisian streets, avoiding where the excited men laughed and drunk away the night next to the barricades. It began to rain, heavier and heavier until Eponine walked, drenched. Eponine felt like crying - emotions were running wild in her, and nothing more, right then, did she want then to cry. Her bare feet touched the wet floor beneath her, step by step. Each step felt hard to make, like she should give up. Eventually the rain eased up to a quiet patter.

The smell of smoke filled her nostrils, stinging her eyes. The small bonfire, that had somehow survived the rain, the men had built was closer than she'd expected. She walked heavily towards the scent, peeking out from behind the buildings. Enjolras' blue eyes were the first to meet hers, a smile lighting up his face. A set of green eyes met hers but a second after. The familiar face of the man she'd die for made her heart break a little. He looked so relaxed and happy. Cosette had a positive effect on him, she realised. Her eyes glued on Marius, she hardly noticed herself moving backwards, back into the shadows.

Enjolras' face appeared moments later, a dimpled smile on his face. "'Ponine, where have you been? I haven't seen you much about." General concern was in his voice and all Eponine could think was _why couldn't Marius be like him?_

"Here and... there," Eponine responded slowly. Enjolras moved closer, leaning down to look into her eyes. He placed his hands on her waist, a sincere expression on his face.

"You can tell me." An hour later, Enjolras and Eponine sat on the side of a building a little way away from the barricade. They talked and talked, getting everything off their chest. They sat now, holding each other. Eponine looked up at Enjolras' handsome face. He certainly was not Marius. He didn't have the high set cheek bones, the slightly crooked nose, the millions of freckles that highlighted his eyes. Enjolras possessed a silent beauty.

"Do you really think they'll survive the battle tomorrow?" Eponine asked, her voice trembling.

Enjolras sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his head against hers, his lips to her ear. "No."

Eponine swallowed the lump rising in her throat. Marius would die. He couldn't survive that. Not if even Enjolras, the leader of this entire plan, didn't believe in it. "Why do it then?"

"Because someone _will _realise how stupid they are when they see hundreds of damaged bodies all over the streets and..." Enjolras paused, his voice lowering. "They may change the law about outer class marriage." His eyes were on hers again, the blue flames engulfing her, suffocating her. His lips were on hers. His hands on her hip, and the other mangled in her hair. This was not a wild, passionate kiss. This was a kiss from someone who had to get these feelings out. She felt his emotions pour out of him, and suddenly, Eponine found herself enjoying the small exchange. _Marius. _She pushed back against Enjolras.

"I-I'm.. I'm sorry, Enjolras. You're wonderful and kind and amazing, but..." Eponine stuttered on her words, her brain in overdrive.

"Marius?" Eponine's snapped her head back, surprise filling her, quickly followed by insecurities.

"I know, its stupid," Eponine mumbled, almost a little defensively.

"Tell him how you feel, 'Ponine," Enjolras, always one to keep a poker face, commanded her. "I think you'll be surprised by the response." Eponine laughed a little as Enjolras stood up, offering a hand to help her up. He then departed, with out looking back.

Eponine felt a sadness rip through her. Why couldn't she be happy with him? He was lovely to her, and Marius didn't care.

_It comes to who you would die for._

* * *

Twelve hours later, the sun was high in the sky. If you were to return home from a trip, you wouldn't recognise your own street. The barricade was large and bulky, leaving no room to squeeze through the sides. The only way was _over. _Soldiers... students. Just boys, who had barely lived, lay dead on the floor. The grey pavement was blood stained. They were fighting for a tomorrow. A tomorrow where the law was fair. Where the poor and the wealthy intertwined. Where one could live. They were fighting for you. And they were dying. Slowly but surely, the students were dying. Less than thirty remained, while the army remained strong and stocked, losing many but having many back ups._  
_

Marius hadn't ever fought harder than he had that day. Every gun shot he pulled, every soldier he pushed back to save himself, he fought with all his might. For Eponine. For freedom. For tomorrow. Each heart beat had a name. Each death had a story. Each step had a purpose. Fighting aside Enjolras, Marius eyes never left in front of him - there was time to look back and check on his friends. It was about tomorrow. They just had to get through until tomorrow... and start all over again.

Several hours later, with the sky beginning to darken and the battle quietening down, the remaining students gathered around in a circle. Exhausted, they were all silent except for a drunken Grantaire who held onto his last bottle of wine like it was a child. Tension was high in the air, all anticipating the next cry of the fallen... the next gun shot in their ears. _Just get through until tomorrow._

* * *

Eponine wasn't sure when she had decided to wanted to fight in the barricade. Perhaps when she was told she couldn't or perhaps when she realised Marius might die that day, and she wasn't willing to let him be alone. Not just that though.. she wanted to tell him. All those feelings she'd be hiding. She wanted to tell him everything. It was then that Eponine bound her chest and put on her mother's white blouse, her father's pants and her own coat. Putting on her father's worn out boots, she felt masculine. Except for her hair... Pulling the dark hair on top of her head and holding it with a hat, Eponine left the house.

Fighting was hard. Eponine realised that too soon. Her smaller frame made it easier to climb the barricade but more fragile against the well built males banging into her at every step. If she survived, she was sure she would have bruises the next day. When the bodies began dropping, Eponine felt a well of emotions swirl inside her. That boy had had a family. That boy may have even had a girlfriend or a wife. And there, Eponine stood, alive, with a family that barely acknowledged her existence and a boy who would never love her. Somehow, it felt ironic.

* * *

Eponine had noticed Marius as soon as she'd arrived at the barricades, but she couldn't just baby him. He'd barely looked down in hours. When night fell, after a long day of fighting, Eponine sat opposite of Marius, her head on her palms. She fell deflated. The fallen had been lined up together in the cafe, safe from the rest of the battle. The smell of death still hit her and made her stomach churn. Eponine stared straight across at Marius, wondering if he or she would join the bodies. A drunk Grantaire sat beside her, leaning carelessly on her shoulder. When she felt something wet on her shoulder she looked up immediately. To her surprise, Grantaire was crying, silent tears of drunken unhappiness. His eyes on Enjolras who was taking watch. Eponine patted his shoulder with out thinking, pulling him a little closer.

"We're all going to die," Grantaire whispered, half slurred and half sobbing. "And I never even got to... n'ver even got to tell him..." Eponine looked back up at Marius, who was staring at nothing in particular.

"That you loved him." Eponine finished quietly, eyes on Marius who was staring at nothing in particular. "Long before the battle." Grantaire sighed heavily.

"I loved him first."

* * *

OOC: You guys put a few ideas forward through your ideas and I would really like to try them in another fic, but this is supposed to be a three-shot which is now a four-shot (woo!). So, I hope you enjoyed this... I'm also aware I have a factual error in here about the reasons they're fighting. I actually didn't listen too much to that watching the movie or musical or even reading the book. I know it has to do with the French Revolution (well, obviously) but for now, its what you get. c: Maybe I'll update it when I reread the book...

I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Shoving some R/E love in there because I ship them so much, I just don't know. One more chapter guys! So, anywho. Hopefully, I'll write another chapter tomorrow. Please review and let me know you guys still want more!


	4. Chapter 4

**OOC**: So, this is the ending guys! I'd just like to thank every single person who ever read this fic, because I almost deleted this story after the first chapter, but every single one of you made it worth it... So, enjoy this ending chapter. Until we meet again!

"Don't ever wait until it's too late to tell someone how much they mean to you, because when they're gone, no matter how loud you shout and cry… they won't hear you any more."

* * *

"Eponine! Wake up! Come on, 'Ponine! Please get up..." The fallen never rise. They never respond. You never hear their voices again. Never see their smile. In the end, if its too late, its over. You can't go back in time and fix your mistake. Its up to you to make sure you've said everything you need to to everybody because tomorrow, they very well may not be there.

* * *

Silence filled the air. Marius gripped his gun, tension gripping at him. His thoughts were everywhere - being tossed from one place to another, his feelings much the same. Eponine and Cosette were safe - that was all that mattered to him. They wouldn't watch the bodies fall or the blood spray... They wouldn't feel this emotion of emptiness as another soldier went down. _Who would die next? _would not echo in their minds as they sat staring at nothing. Little did Marius know, that Eponine was only a little way away from him, her dark eyes staring at him peacefully.

The pain would end tonight. She could feel it in her finger tips, a content glow covering here. She would no longer feel this urge to make Marius happy, no matter the cost of her own. She would no longer cringe at her father's glance. She would no longer have to pretend her feelings for Marius didn't exist - because she'd rest in the solitude of death and never again, would she feel her heart flutter or her stomach knot. But then, Marius would have nobody to protect him. He would be vulnerable. He's a grown man, but he has the attention span of an infant. Eponine sat on the cold ground, her mind reeling.

Marius had finally come back to his senses and took watch, holding his gun out. His thoughts still wondered, on occasion, drifting to his current love life situation or to the clouding skies. It was when his eyes caught sight of an escaped lock of dark hair that Marius averted his attention away from his post. A dirty wave was all it took for Marius to completely forget that he was in the middle of people he was trying to protect and people who wanted to kill him. He stared at the boy who he thought he'd the long lock of hair from. He was readjusting his hat but the hair appeared to be gone.

Was that Eponine? Surely he would recognise her? He recognised her _hair, _for goodness sakes! The rich coloured hair that still looked clean and healthy even though it probably hadn't been washed in a month or brushed in years. All the little things that made Eponine herself. She didn't own a sou to her name, yet she still managed to survive. She still managed to make Marius feel like he was being blessed by knowing her. To make his heart thump loudly in his chest. She may be poor, but she still knew how to make him smile when he felt like giving up.

And that was why he kept staring at the boy who looked too thin and lean to be a teenage boy. His face too feminine to be male. Perhaps Marius was just misreading it - maybe he just missed his best friend so much that he was looking too deeply into it. He stared after the boy who disappeared into the students, feeling bewildered.

"Marius, look out!" A voice shouted at him. He swung around to find himself staring into the barrel of a gun. He heard the gun shot, he felt himself flying back, but he felt no pain. As his head hit whatever was behind him, Marius blacked out, wondering if he'd ever wake up.

* * *

Eponine saw the soldier climbing the barricade before anybody did. She moved closer and closer, knowing she had to protect him. It didn't matter what happened to her - she was just a street urchin who would go nowhere in life, but Marius had a life ahead of him. He would have riches and a lady waiting for him to return. He didn't need her. As the barrel began to move towards Marius, she heard herself screaming at him to move before leaping in front of the gun, pushing Marius out of her way.

Her hand covered the barrel, and as she heard the gun shot, the bullet went straight through her hand. Pain roared to life on her chest, where the bullet had travelled to. The battle was back on, soldiers climbing the barricade and students defending themselves with everything they have. God, she hoped those students got to live. She watched their eyes, full of passion, fighting for a tomorrow. She wanted them to see it. Spasm of pain lit Eponine alive, and seeing Marius in the middle of all of it, she heaved him away from the barricades, collapsing beside him.

How right, that she die alone. Eponine looked down at her hand - blood sprayed out of her hand. She didn't dare look down at her once white shirt. Marius lay beside her, a small amount of blood on his head from where he'd hit the ground. Eponine felt a guilt well inside her, as with her good hand, she stroked the blood off, a gentle smiling rising on her lips. This was it - dying. Never had she felt so relieved. Knowing it would all be over soon. She would never again go hungry. Never again feel useless because her father would yell. Never again, would she look at Marius and know he didn't love her. She would be gone and wherever she was, she knew it would be better than here.

Eponine had kept her distance from Marius all this time and even the inches that separated them felt intentional. _He was never yours anyway. _Eponine felt another spasm of pain rampage through her. A small sound escaped her lips, as she felt her life drain away from her a little more at a time.

It was at that time Marius chose to awaken. What a sight it must have been, to see a too pale Eponine, dressed as a boy, but lacking her hat from earlier, completely covered in blood.

Blood.

Dying.

_Death._

Marius sat up, his arms reaching for Eponine. "'Ponine?" He muttered, his eyes not concentrating. "Eponine, answer me!"

Eponine's lips rose into a smile. She leaned heavily against the building they lay beside. "I don't feel any pain, Monsieur." A complete lie, to make his sadness go away. Eponine wanted to see him happy before she left. She felt her eyes flutter shut slowly. "Don't you fret."

"Eponine, please. You can make it through this!" Marius was now fully aware of everything, putting his head injury aside for the precious moments he had left with his Eponine. Note the 'his'. In his moments of darkness, he had decided who he wanted to be with - and she was dying. She was so closed to dying, oh God... Marius' eyes began to water. "Eponine. Please. I-I..."

Eponine's chest rose slowly. Marius was counting her breaths. They were slowing. He had seconds with her left. Seconds.

"I love you, Eponine," Marius whimpered, moving closer to her so he could hold her. Eponine felt light in his arms as she held her close. Eponine smiled, a full smile this time.

He loved her as no more than a friend, of course - Eponine knew that with certainty. But she felt her life drawing to a close, and she had long since accepted that she was never going to be more than that. "I loved you first," she said as she took one last breath, a look of contentment on her face.

"Eponine! Wake up! Come on, 'Ponine! Please get up..." Marius weeped into her hair for hours after. The problem is, no matter how much you cry and scream... no matter how much you shake their bodies and pleade with them to wake up... they're gone. Its too late. There's nothing you can do to bring them back. Marius was too late in telling her about his feelings and Eponine was too long gone to stay around to listen. "Eponine," Marius whispered into her ear, pressing his face against her cold skin. "Please..."

Like some cruel trick, he watched all of his friends die. Not a single one of them lived. Not Courfeyrac, not Enjolras, not even drunk Grantaire, who had died defending Enjolras. The winners now climbed over the dead bodies and the barricade, to find him, whimpering over his lost love. What a look that passed across their faces - some of amusement, some of distraught and most of sympathy. Marius looked up at the men through blurred eyes and with a hollow face, asked for the men to shoot him.

He thanked them before he died, still holding onto Eponine.

* * *

OOC: So, I don't know. I hope you guys liked that. I liked it. Did you guys like it? It was weird, I don't know. I liked it, so whatever. That was _emotional. _Wow, I don't know how I feel. I love you guys to bits, and I hope you guys enjoyed this. So please review, and I'll see you guys whenever you get around to checking out my other fics!


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